I am thinking of getting a new depth finder

[tracker 1]

I would like to read some of your thoughts on some depth finders . I mainly fish for eyes and the depth isn't any more then 50' at the deepest part of the lake. Average depth is around 30'. I am looking to spend around $400.00.
GPS capability would be nice if you can get them in that price range.I don't know if color is worth it or not. If some one has one that they really like I would like to know about it & if some had one they hate I would like to know about it also.
                                                               Thanks  Tracker

[daffydone]

I have the lowrance 500C gps, I like the color screen. I have had it about a year, and just after the warranty ran out, ( two months afterwards), the sound went out, I emailed lowrance about the problem and they said they would fix it for a fee. I had only used it 4 times before this happend.
needless to say, the next one I will buy will be a garmin!
just my 2 cents!

[the Wizard]

I had a Eagle fishmark 480 and thought it was great, I could pick up schools of perch on the bottom and had a lot of faith in the readings. Others I've had weren't quite as trust worthy.
  If you go to Cabala's or bass pro on line , they show units they sell and most have a review column that gives users opinions, that might help you make a decision.

[Scientist]

Some of the “reviews” and testimonials are paid for by the manufacturers and written by people who never even used the product. I got suckered into buying something that had excellent reviews however when I tried it out it was the biggest piece of garbage that no real fisherman would ever recommend. Needless to say, it was returned to the store shortly. I always ask for other’s input on this forum or on iceshanty because there are real fisherman here and not sales people.
I have had several sonar units over the years, the current one I’m using is the Hummingbird 3D. First few trips on the water I thought it was not any better than the one I replaced except that it had a larger screen. It turns out that the factory setting do not give the best results and that the settings are almost lake specific. With regard to signal strength, zoom, and which transducer cone to use. After the initial disappointment that I had spent so much more money on this unit and realized I can’t return the unit because it was mounted on the boat already I decided to try out all the features. 5 years latter, it turned out to be an OK unit. IMO not worth the $500 I spent at the time.  It picks up suspended fish with greater accuracy and can differentiate between floating submerged weeds and fish but it does not identify fish on the bottom unless the “zoom” feature is used, manufacturer did not state this anywhere. I think the unit was designed to locate bass quickly.
In two years, I’ll be purchasing another unit and after seeing a friend use their sonar I’ll be buying a Lowrance unit instead of a Hummingbird because of the good bottom ID and fish ID. Granted it was much harder to read than the Hummingbird but it was always on the money where there were fish just takes getting use to. My friend was disappointed with the GPS function on the unit and said he would purchase one with an external antenna rather than the internal one because of faster location acquisition. The GPS is his 2 cents. I use a hand held GPS so it does not matter to me.

[BottomDweller]

three words: eagle fishmark 480    ...maybe five more: only $250, best value ever       that is all

[the Wizard]

  Pardom me, But now that bottomdweller mentioned it I also had a fishmark 480 not a lowrance as I mentioned earlier.

   The Scientist Claims testamonials are by manufacturers; Well I loved my 480 eagle, Bottomdweller likes his but the reviews are not so good , must be some strange manufacturers

[Scientist]

I don’t want to hi-jack the tread so I’ll make this quick. Let me clarify, “posted internet reviews” initially started out as honest reviews by people who purchased the product. Consumers began to rely heavily on the reviews written by other people. A consumer survey was taken on how many people based their purchase decision on what other people thought of the product, reviews. Marketing realized that it can be a cheap and power tool for not only giving good to great reviews to the products they manufactured but at the same time poor reviews can be written for competitors’ products. Because the marketing game is not only is my product good but everyone elses product is much worse than ours. The current product reviews are so convoluted with bogus reviews written by third party consultants, almost half way around the world, hired by corporations to influence the decision of the buyers that no one can tell which are the genuine ones. Some are very obvious, for example very proper British English sentence structure from a review of an individual from Tennessee is very out of place.   
Initially this practice started out with large ticket items such as cars and electronics, digital cameras, DVD players, etc. but it has shifted into other consumer markets.
Since I cannot verify who is writing the report I really don’t pay much attention to them.   
   The Eagle fishmark 480 is a perfect example, both Bottomdweller and the Wizard, like the fish finder and would recommend purchasing one even though “other reviewers” did not like the product.  Since I can verify that both Bottomdweller and the Wizard belong to this forum and are here for fishing info and are not paid to endorse products; their reviews in my opinion are much more value added in deciding on purchasing the product than reading an e-mailed review from Joe Black.

[turkeyhunter10ga]

I also have the Eagle Fishmark 480 on the dash  and like it a lot. My only problem is the speed sensor, can't get it dialed in correctly. Other than that its a good unit especially for the price. In fact i just bought the  320 (cheaper version)  for the trolling mtr where i dont need the speed sensor. The 320 is almost the same but with some less pixels and bells and whistles, but will basically do the same job as the 480.

[buddah]

Use the brand the commercial guys use...................http://www.boatersland.com/ls4100.html



http://www.practical-sailor.com/sample/Fishfinder.html

[BottomDweller]

...My only problem is the speed sensor, can't get it dialed in correctly...

i didn't even set up the water speed sensor.  for my purposes, when i have to gauge speed, like when i  need to troll at a certain speed, i just use my gps unit.

[BottomDweller]

uh, just to update you on my experience with the fishmark480: i don't like it any more.  it lasted maybe two full seasons and then started failing to read consistently deeper then thirty feet.  it seems like maybe an electrical problem, as it is acting like it isn't getting enough power, but it also seems like these things should be made to last a little longer.  but i guess that's what i get for going the cheap route.

[BottomDweller]

Use the brand the commercial guys use...................http://www.boatersland.com/ls4100.html



http://www.practical-sailor.com/sample/Fishfinder.html

see, this is the kind of idea that i read these threads for.  thanks buddah, i'm gonna look into this thing.

[icecube]

  Check out new Humminbird 385ci. I believe it is around  $400. Has Gps and Navionics compatiable.

[stripernut]

I have worked with most of the brands of sounders and GPSs out there as a guide (I get hired to go on the client’s boat and show them how to fish and use their equipment) and also have been selling marine electronics for years. Lawrence (which make eagle brand) holds a large market share and use to have good customer service, but has been faltering  in recent years… For that price range I would go with the Garmin, very good equipment and they stand behind it. Also user friendly, but still has lots of features for the money. If you want to drop the big bucks, Raymarine is the way to go. Furuno is also very good, but not as user friendly and is you need help Raymarine is much easier to work with… If, like me you were in the Northeast they will meet you at the door of their NH plant and take care of the problem, sometimes while you wait!
Tight Lines,
Allan Butler
Light Lines Guiding

[er-e-is]

uh, just to update you on my experience with the fishmark480: i don't like it any more.  it lasted maybe two full seasons and then started failing to read consistently deeper then thirty feet.  it seems like maybe an electrical problem, as it is acting like it isn't getting enough power, but it also seems like these things should be made to last a little longer.  but i guess that's what i get for going the cheap route.

I have a Lowrance X85 that is approx. 15yrs old, mine was acting the same and on the advice of Lowrance I replace the transducer. I now replace it every few years. Seens as though they wear out. I would give Eagle a call and see what they say. I have fished over Lowrances and Eagles for years. Also it seems the more power, the better the detail is at deeper depths.